The life of Jeanne Bécu, who was born as the illegitimate daughter of an impoverished seamstress in 1743 and went on to rise through the Court of Louis XV to become his last official mistress.

Noted French actress and the former wife and muse of Luc Besson, Maïwenn set herself an incredible goal of re-creating the lavish life of the historical Jeanne du Barry, the last mistress to Louis XV, and in doing so, creates a film that is luxurious and grand in its showing, but also incredibly nuanced and internalised in its narrative. For Maïwenn Jeanne du Barry is a complete artistic pursuit, and her grand passion for this woman and her incredible life is on display in every frame of this film as she seeks to build up a picture of immense splendour and vast depth. Maïwenn’s vision is the true shaper of this vast picture, and her mind never waivers from a single detail. This focus to bringing forth a creation of pure spectacle completely washes over audiences and pulls them deeper into the magnificence and beauty of the Court of Louis XV.

Maïwenn has brought herself, body and soul to her performance as Jeanne du Barry, the famed mistress of Louis XV, who rose from that of a common girl and ascended to the heights of fame and influence, and our actress turned director brings to life Jeanne’s perspective with incredible sincerity and depth. Possessed of beauty, charm, intelligence, and a scintillating eroticism, Maïwenn’s portrayal of Jeanne captures her as a creature of depth and intrigue, with an underlying curiosity as her key trait. Through this inquisitiveness, she becomes a woman unafraid to push the boundaries and smash the status quo of the French Court and in her chronicle of Jeanne’s life, we see a woman who not only crashes through the boundaries but who invents an entirely new style of woman, and in a way brings modernism into this very benign French society. Maïwenn exudes sincerity, grace and a lust for life in the role, and her performance is one that will grip the audience fully.

Jeanne du Barry is important not only for the artistry of Maïwenn but also for that of established Hollywood actor Johnny Depp, and his return to the grand realm of cinema is some of his best work in a very long time. Depp is incredibly focused and in complete step with Louis XV, King of France and ruler of a vast empire, who appears to have grown tiresome of the lavish luxury and unbending protocol of his Court and who, at times, appears trapped by his Court and their constant praying on him for favour and fortune. Through Jeanne and her unwavering interest in the world around her, he soon finds meaning, and their relationship is incredibly stimulating to watch. Depp has never been better than he has in Jeanne du Barry. Watching him in this picture, you truly feel that this is both a film and a style of role that he has long been searching for, where he can entirely express himself and where the focus is more on his acting abilities rather than his mere star power.

Cinema has the grandest sense of power to transport us to times far past our own, and Jeanne du Barry is a work that is operatic in the most magnificent sense. This work is a feast for the eyes, and the lavishness of the French Court at Versailles is not just a backdrop but a character in its own right. It is awash with colour and beauty, captivating the audience with its grandeur. The cinematography of Laurent Dailland composes the film into what can only be described as ‘picturesque’, and its baroque imagery makes you feel as if you are watching a painting come to life. The extensive hair and make-up, and some of the most beautiful costuming you have ever seen, complete the look of the film, making it an enchanting and beautiful experience of French luxury in all its resplendence.

Jeanne du Barry is an astonishing achievement for both Maïwenn and Johnny Depp, and the two of them get to basque in the splendour and glory of one of this year’s most beautiful cinematic feats. The French have a way of honouring the most authentic passions of the cinema craft, and Maïwenn’s Jeanne du Barry is an expression of true artistic grace that will find its way into your soul.

Image: Le Pacte

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Making good on his threat, Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) has escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings. In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) enlists his former student Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.

In The Crimes of Grindelwald things take a much darker turn and director David Yates takes this continuing story in a bold new direction. While his previous film, Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, introduced us to a whole new time period of the Wizarding World in the 1920s, here in The Crimes Of Grindelwald, the Wizarding World is dealing with the fallout of the presence of dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Depp) and his escape from  MACUSA. Thrown into all of this is our magical zoologist hero Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) and once again he embarks on a journey that will take him to new locations and throw plenty of new obstacles and a host of new creatures in his way.

While I had expected Yates to merely follow on in the same direction, I really wasn’t expecting him to changes things up in the way that he did and I very greatful that he took this film in the direction that he did. Taking the setting to Paris, Yates guides us through a new corner of the magical world and gives the film a certain film noir polish thanks to his sepia inspired colour palette and the Art Nouveau styling of his Parisian setting. Sets, costuming, hair and make-up and extensive cinematography really pull you into this exotic European setting and just like all the other corners of the world, Paris has its own distinctive style of magic and you really sense its presence here. I loved the rich textures of the city and all of it pulled me deeper into the narrative that was presented up on screen.

I also believe this film noir, Art Nouveau styling also pulls out the film’s central theme of a world in conflict. While the shadows of the First World War are still being felt, dissension and diversion are in the air and Grindelwald’s escape has many on edge. Yates captures all of this for his audience, and you feel the mounting hostilities amongst our characters as they begin to question everything they have ever believed in. But do not despair for its not all doom and gloom and Newt once more takes some time to attend to his menagerie of magical creatures which feature many of our favourites, such as the devious little Niffler’s, and a host of fantastical new creatures such as the Zouwu, a Chinese lion type beast that gives Newt a good run for his money.

Part of every good sequel is that it should work to grow our characters and that is indeed what we find here. Eddie Redmayne is once again front and center as magical zoologist Newt Scamander and this time we get an insight into how his personality and mind works and how his past relationships have shaped him into the man he is today. This is most pressing with his estranged relationship with his one time love interest Leta Lestrange (Zoë Kravitz) and the friction that they share between one another leads to some very interesting narrative moments.

While The Crimes of Grindelwald certainly has an inherent darkness to it, Newt remains the hopeful optimist of the piece. Far from being your typical dragon slaying hero, Newt is a person who likes to find the possibility in the world and whose eternal belief in the power of goodness inside every individual makes him someone we want to look up to and root for. This is especially present in his search to find the troubled Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller), whom he once tried to help before and who is the fascination of every wizard for his extraordinarily dangerous Obscurus parasite that he keeps hidden from the world.

With a growing film franchise we’re also lucky enough to once again find ourselves in the presence of the great Albus Dumbledore who this time is plaid by the dashing Jude Law. Law’s performance is that of a confident, and supremely intelligent Dumbledore who knows more than he’s letting on and who sees the bigger picture that is at play with Grindelwald. I really liked the confidence that we saw in this younger Dumbledore and although he is already a fully-fledged professor at Hogwarts he is only beginning to develop the sage wisdom that will inform the character that a young Harry Potter will one day meet. Again it is the unexpected moments that I enjoyed here with Law’s Dumbledore and I can tell you that I’m excited to see more of him as we move down the line with later adaptations.

And finally there’s Johnny Depp who makes a triumphant return as Gellert Grindelwald. I still maintain that Depp is one of my favourite actors of all time and he really hits the ball out of the park here. Possessed of a creepy and adversarial intelligence, his performance as Grindelwald reminds me of a rock-god/revolutionary whose commitment to an ultimate vision is a very scary thing to behold. As a performer Depp is someone who imbues his whole being into a character and does everything he can to fall into them and this is entirely present here. As Grindelwald he carries himself with a dark elegance and his cast down eyes will fill you with dread. It’s a great return to form for the actor and I’m really excited to see what the next move is for this dark and dangerous wizard.

Thematically The Crimes Of Grindelwald asks its audience to question everything they hold dear and makes the point that in this divided world everyone must pick their side. The one character who doesn’t hold to any of this is Newt and its his stance as the outlier, who believes in the possibility of an inclusive world where everyone and everything has meaning that gives the film its hope.

And can I also say that you should expect plenty of shocks here as well. While I can’t go into anything without risking running into serious SPOILER territory I will say that the twists and turns come straight out of left field and this ending will leave your heart pounding.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald really changes things up and it’s rocketing good time from beginning to end. It really shakes up the Wizarding World and if you’re a long time Rowling fan then you’ll seriously love this film.

Image: Roadshow Films.

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Having completed a case, world-famous private detective Hercule Poirot (Sir Kenneth Branagh), decides that a well deserved holiday is in order. And so the debonair detective boards the famed Orient Express for a bit of R&R. But when a shocking murder occurs on the train, Poirot finds his holiday interrupted and is flung into a race against time to find the murderer before they strike again.

Branagh’s envisioning of Murder on the Orient Express is blockbuster filmmaking at its finest. The esteemed director and thespian channels the grandiose dramatic epics of the 1930s and 1940s with his adaptation of this classic tale. Everything is shot in camera and Branagh makes the most of his enormous set piece, The Orient Express herself. While there may be a detective, a victim and twelve different suspects, the Orient Express is just as much a character, and Branagh and his team explore much of its exotic structure in considerable detail throughout the film.

World-building plays a significant part in Murder on the Orient Express and Branagh and his team take audiences back to the by-gone era of the early 1930s. This world is informed by elegance and glamour and Branagh shows all of it up on screen. The set-building and production design of Jim Clay recreates the first class decadence of travelling on the Orient Express and every detail is catered to perfectly, from the placement of the most delicate antique furniture to ample servings of champagne and the finest gourmet dining options. Murder on the Orient Express is a piece of cinema that most definitely sets your senses on fire, and you can’t help but imagine yourself seated on this grand train.

The film also excels thanks to its stunning costuming, which have been provided by Academy Award Winning costume designer Alexandra Byrne, who captures the exquisite first-class lifestyle of the film’s principal characters. There’s an ample supply of jewellery, flowing dresses, fine suits and exotic furs. Both the ladies and gentlemen aboard the Orient Express are decked out in the most stunning costumes and I must give credit to Byrne for her realisation of Branagh’s Poirot with his distinctive three-piece suits and antique cane, the lavish ballroom dresses of Michelle Pfieffer’s Caroline Hubbard and the completely chic gangster attire of Johnny Depp’s Edward Ratchett, who is clad in bold double-breasted power suits and wears the ultimate fur coat.

All of these things bring you further into the world of Murder on the Orient Express and make for an exciting and completely mesmerising time up-on screen.

Branagh most definitely stands out as the arrogant, analytical, and obessesive compulsive Hercule Poirot, whose obsession with minute details borders on the notion of crazy and who sports one hell of a moustache. While I myself had never read any of Agatha Christie’s works before I saw Murder on the Orient Express, I was still familiar with the character of Poirot and from what I know of the grand detective, Branagh hit the nail on the head. His deductive manner and minute observations were in perfect keeping with the character, and you could tell that he was enjoying himself immensely as this debonair fellow. And that moustache, my god, it was unbelievably impressive and is worth the price of admission alone!

The film’s bolder casting was equally impressive with a staple of magnificent performances from all the supporting players involved. But there are a few of them that I need to call out, starting with Depp’s despicable gangster Ratchett. Depp plays the villain well, and here his slimy manner shines through as a cocky up-start who now finds himself in trouble. What was enjoyable was that as Ratchett, Depp obviously enjoyed being the bad guy, and this of-course shone through in his performance. Michelle Pfieffer’s widowed Caroline Hubbard brings plenty of refined elegance, as well as an unabashed seductiveness that she throws towards Poirot, for plenty of uncomfortable humour. Then there’s Josh Gad as the bullied, and horrendously uptight Hector McQueen, who has found himself as Ratchett’s assistant and whose behaviour makes him an instant suspect. Leslie Odom Jr. brings a sense of refinement as the learned Dr Arbuthnot and has no qualms about getting in Poirot’s face, while, finally, Daisy Ridley is in ingenue form as former governess Mary Debenham who’s sweet and inquisitive exterior hides an agenda all her own.

If you’re wanting a whodunnit. Then well, you’ve found it. Branagh provides plenty of suspense for his audience and shifts the suspicion around the diverse group of characters. Whenever you think you’ve found the murderer, the emphasis shifts and another suspect, even more guilty shows up. Branagh keeps his audience guessing and uses Poirot’s distinctive deductive reasoning to find his murderer. There’s no CSI here, just a detective with one hell of an intellect and a commitment to that of unshakeable justice. At times you’ll find yourself on a knife’s edge, and that’s exactly where Branagh wants you.

I hold by my words when I say you will not see the ending coming, and the shock, along with Branagh’s care for this grand story leaves you wanting more. As a standalone suspense epic, Murder on the Orient Express holds its ground, and I myself would love to see Branagh explore this fabled character further in successive sequels. So buy your ticket, and take your seat, because the shocks come quick and sharp with Murder on the Orient Express….and you won’t want to miss out on them.

Image: 20th Century Fox

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Wasikowska once again commands the screen as the headstrong and independent Alice Kingsleigh, who in the time since Wonderland has explored the world as a sea captain. It’s Alice’s knack for adventure that sees her set off to save the life of her friend, Tarrant Hightop (Johnny Depp), better known as The Mad Hatter, and it’s a very quick and kinetic journey given the central theme of time travel. The friendship between Alice and the Hatter has not strayed, and it’s terrific to see Wasikowska and Depp back together on screen.

Helena Bonham Carter is also back as the vindictive Iracebeth of Crims aka the Red Queen, who still has it out for Alice, while Anne Hathaway returns as her waifish sister, Mirana of Marmoreal aka the White Queen, who seeks to atone for her past, and make amends with her sister. Stephen Fry’s Cheshire, Michael Sheen’s Nivens McTwisp, Matt Lucas’ Tweedledum and Tweedledee, and Alan Rickman as Absolem, are also all present and accounted for, and unsurprisingly on point.

However, it is Sacha Baron Cohen as Time who really steals the show. Thoroughly bizarre, Cohen portrays Time as very out of touch with the populace of Underland, having spent all of eternity within his great citadel. Given how weird the rest of the characters are, it’s amazing that Cohen even manages to make Time come across as kooky as he does.

Like its predecessor, Through the Looking Glass is set in the fantastical world of Underland, and director James Bobin has followed in the footsteps of director and now producer Tim Burton with a batch of colourful characters and exotic landscapes. It’s easy for one to get lost in the strangeness of this fairytale world, and whether you’re old or young, you’ll find yourself amazed at its stunning visuals.

Alice Through the Looking Glass is a worthy sequel and carries the same spirit and magic of Wonderland. It’s use of time travel as a plot device also opens up its beloved characters to further exploration, and we get to enjoy some terrific moments. So buy a ticket and step into a world of madness one more time.

Image source: Walt Disney Pictures.

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When an ancient evil rises from beneath Canada’s crust and releases an army of monsters as they threaten their big invitation to a senior party, teenage yoga nuts Colleen Collette (Lily Rose Depp) and Collen McKenzie (Harley Quinn Smith) join forces with legendary man-hunter Guy Lapointe (Johnny Depp) to put an end to the chaos.

This second chapter of the True North Trilogy looks like a crazy rock’n’roll adventure, and is packed with an all-star supporting cast including the likes of Ralph Garman, Justin Long, Hayley Joel Osment and Stan Lee. Both the younger Smith and Depp look fantastic as the Colleens, and Yoga Hosers has plenty of action that will redefine the word girl power!

Yoga Hosers is set to be released on July 29.

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